Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“What successful and exciting season finales! Congratulations to Jens
Klingmann and Bruno Spengler on their deserved title with the BMW M4
GT3 in the Sprint Cup within the Italian GT Championship. After the
Pro-Am title in the Endurance competition, this is another impressive
success for BMW Italia Ceccato Racing with team principal and BMW
legend Roberto Ravaglia. Awesome! The title win for Century Motorsport
in the British GT Championship last week was equally thrilling and
pleasing. Congratulations to Dan Harper and Darren Leung on their
triumph in the overall standings, as well as Michael Johnston and
Chris Salkeld, who claimed the title with the BMW M4 GT4 in the Pro-Am
class. I would also like to congratulate Jody Vullo, and Gianni van de
Craats and Sen Roodenburg, who were crowned champions in the BMW M2 CS
Racing Cups Italy and Benelux after thrilling title races.”
—
Italian GT Championship: Spengler and Klingmann claim the
title with a podium at Imola.
BMW party in Italy: Jens Klingmann (GER) and Bruno Spengler (CAN) won
the Sprint Cup title in the Italian GT Championship at a nerve-racking
showdown at Imola. “I am particularly proud to win a championship with
the BMW M4 GT3 – especially after all the blood, sweat and tears that
went into the development of that car,” said a delighted Klingmann
after their triumph.
“I am thrilled for the BMW Italia Ceccato Racing team and all our
Italian family,” said Spengler. “The team did a great job all year. We
had to battle right down to the final minute, but it worked out in the
end.” The happy ending at the end of a true Imola thriller.
The two BMW M works drivers came into the final round of the
championship in Emilia-Romagna with a five-point lead in the overall
standings. However, the German/Canadian duo then failed to score
points for the first time this season in the Saturday race when
Spengler was forced into a gravel bed by a rival car shortly before
the finish whilst on course for a podium. Despite that, their lead in
the championship remained five points.
That left one thing certain ahead of the eighth and final race:
second place for the #7 BMW M4 GT3 and the BMW Italia Ceccato Racing
team would be good enough to wrap up the title. The two BMW M works
drivers showed nerves of steel in the showdown in northern Italy.
Spengler and Klingmann finished runners-up in the final race of the
season to claim their fifth podium and, with 98 points to their name,
clinch the title.
“It was a very close championship and a battle right down to the last
lap. That makes the success all the more satisfying,” said Klingmann.
Indeed, it could hardly have been closer for the duo. Spengler and
Klingmann ended the season level on points with their title rivals. In
the end, the title was decided by better individual results, with the
#7 BMW M4 GT3 coming out on top and giving the two BMW M works drivers
plenty of cause for celebration.
“It was a huge pleasure for me to be Jens’ team-mate,” said Spengler.
“He did a mega job and I really hope we can drive together again in
the future.” Klingmann was also very happy and full of praise after
the season finale: “A big thank you to BMW Italia Ceccato Racing and
Bruno for doing a superb job. We will now enjoy and celebrate our success.”
Carlo Tamburini and Francesco de Luca (both ITA) finished runner-up
in the Pro-Am class in the team’s second car on Saturday, missing out
on the overall podium by a whisker. After sixth place in the Pro-Am
class on Sunday, the two Italians in the #8 BMW M4 GT3 ended the
season third in the Pro-Am table.
—
British GT Championship: Harper and Leung win the title after
a thrilling finale.
Dan Harper and Darren Leung (both GBR) won the title in the British
GT Championship after a real thriller at the season finale. At the end
of a thrilling rollercoaster ride, the duo from the Century Motorsport
team finished runner-up at Donington Park (GBR). That was enough for
the #91 BMW M4 GT3 to top the overall standings with a lead of 12.5
points after nine races.
At one point, the title seemed to have slipped away at the track near
Birmingham. 36-year-old Leung took the lead shortly after the start
and had opened a 20-second lead over the opposition. However, multiple
safety car periods saw that lead disintegrate by the time the pit stop
window opened.
22-year-old Harper started his stint down in 13th place, but the BMW
M works driver then launched an unprecedented fightback and battled
his way through to second place. “The car just flew,” said a delighted
Harper after the race. “I had the bit between my teeth and risked everything.”
His impressive fightback secured the fourth podium of the season for
the #91 BMW M4 GT3, having finished runner-up at Snetterton and won
the races at Silverstone and Brands Hatch. It also meant Harper and
Leung were crowned British GT champions at Donington Park. “The
emotions were incredible,” said an overjoyed Harper after the season
finale: “When I crossed the finish line, it felt unbelievable.”
Carl Cavers and Lewis Plato (both GBR), at the wheel of the #22
Century Motorsport BMW M4 GT4, finished fourth in the GT4 class. Their
team-mates Michael Johnston and Chris Salkeld (both GBR) came home
ninth in the #14 BMW M4 GT4 – a result that proved good enough to
secure the title in the Pro-Am class.
Three questions for … Dan Harper.
What a final race in the British GT Championship at Donington
Park! After a number of safety car periods, you started your stint
back in 13th place and managed to battle back to finish runner-up.
How did you feel when you crossed the finish line?
Dan Harper: “The emotions were unbelievable. My race engineer and
Darren were bellowing into the team radio and shouted: ‘Well done,
we’ve done it!’ When you hear that emotion and see the people hanging
off the pit wall, it is an indescribable feeling. It was very tense
after the safety car. That was obviously an emotional blow and we
thought to ourselves: Oh now, that might be it. When I came out of the
pits, I had to be right at the limit on every lap, and I overtook one
car after another. Once we were in a good enough position to win the
title, I simply focussed on remaining relaxed and bringing the result
home. It was an unbelievable feeling and big relief when I crossed the
finish line.”
What was the key to success and pulling off that fantastic fightback?
Harper: “The car was incredibly good. We were fortunate that we had
had a few good test days in dry conditions prior to the race weekend.
Up until the race, the track had been wet or damp all weekend. That
gave us an advantage, as we knew what set-up we needed for the race in
dry conditions. The car just flew. I had the bit between my teeth and
risked everything. We had nothing to lose and everything to gain –
that was basically the spark that ignited the fightback.”
How would you sum up your season with Darren Leung and Century
Motorsport in the British GT Championship?
Harper: “It was really unbelievable. I very much enjoyed driving in
Great Britain again for the first time since 2019. I love all the
racetracks there. It is my home, so becoming British champion was a
big goal for me and the team at the start of the year. Working with
Darren was really good fun. It is truly impressive how much work he
puts in. We spent a few long evenings at the track analysing data.
However, it is all worth it now – and I am so grateful to BMW M
Motorsport for making this possible for me. I am also thankful for the
faith that Darren showed in me at the start of the year, although I
was still so young and a little inexperienced. I enjoyed every single minute.”
—
ADAC GT Masters: Season finale at Hockenheim.
Schubert Motorsport endured a disappointing weekend in the ADAC GT
Masters at Hockenheim (GER). Eduardo Coseteng (PHL) and Ben Green
(GBR) came home seventh in Saturday’s race. The #20 BMW M4 GT3 then
failed to finish the Sunday race. That meant the Filipino/British duo
ended the season in seventh place overall.
—
ADAC GT4 Germany: Podium for the BMW M4 GT4 at the season finale.
Marat Khayrov (KGZ) and Gabriele Piana (ITA) ended the 2023 ADAC GT4
Germany season on a high. The Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport duo came
through from tenth on the grid to finish runner-up in the #2 BMW M4
GT4 in the Saturday race at the Hockenheimring (GER). “To finish on
the overall podium with Gabriele was my big dream for this season –
and the final race was the perfect time to make that dream come true,”
said a delighted Khayrov after the race at the iconic circuit. The
36-year-old Kyrgyz also won the Trophy competition.
Their team-mates Tim Reiter and Leon Wassertheurer (both GER) came
home fifth in the #5 BMW M4 GT4 to complete the strong team result in
race two: a total of four BMW M4 GT4s made it into the top ten in the
final race.
Three BMW M4 GT4s had finished in the top ten on the Saturday. Nico
Handtke and Mex Jansen (both NED) from the Walkenhorst Motorsport team
had battled from twelfth to seventh place in the #34 BMW M4 GT4. That
was enough to secure fifth place in the table for the two Dutchmen,
just ahead of Khayrov and Piana.
—
BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Italy: Jody Vullo is the 2023 champion.
Jody Vullo (ITA) surprised many by clinching the title in the third
edition of the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Italy, moving ahead of his two
title rivals in the final few metres. The driver from the Pro
Motorsport by BYmyCAR Milano team won the final race at Imola (ITA)
and benefitted from the fact that the two title favourites, Steven
Giacon and Gigi Ferrara (both ITA) both failed to pick up points when
it really mattered.
Vullo’s third win of the season lifted him one point ahead of Giacon
and three clear of Ferrara. As such, he was crowned champion in
northern Italy. His team-mate Mattia Simonini (ITA) made it a one-two
for Pro Motorsport by BYmyCAR Milano. Stefano Stefanelli (ITA) was third.
In the opening race, 18-year-old Emma Segattini (ITA) celebrated a
dramatic maiden victory, ahead of Vicky Piria (ITA). As in race two,
Stefanelli completed the podium in third place.
—
BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Benelux:
Van de Craats and Roodenburg win the title.
Gianni van de Craats and Sen Roodenburg (both NED) from the Bas
Koeten Racing team claimed the title at the finale of this season’s
BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Benelux at the TT Circuit at Assen.
The title was decided in the third and final race in the Netherlands.
Van de Craats collided with championship leader and pole-sitter Senna
van Soelen (NED) in the season finale. While van de Craats was able to
continue, van Soelen was forced to retire. That put an end to any
title aspirations for the #24 BMW M2 CS Racing and its drivers von van
Soelen, Leyton Fourie (ZAF) and Mark van der Aa (NED).
Van de Craats and Roodenburg came home fifth after a 20-second
penalty for another collision – a result that proved good enough to
see them crowned champions in the #53 BMW M2 CS Racing. Victory in the
final race at Assen went to Dante Rappange, ahead of Berry von Elk and
the experienced duo of Patrick de Vreede and Rogier de Leeuw (all
NED). Rappange had previously also won the second of three races at
Assen, with van Soelen and Roodenburg following him over the finish
line. The opening race was won by Jayden Post (NED) from the Ferry
Monster Autosport team in the #74 BMW M2 CS Racing, ahead of van Elk
and van Soelen.
The title in the Trophy competition had already been won by de Vreede
and de Leeuw in the #35 BMW M2 CS Racing.
